Original article

Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research 2011;14(2):112-119.

입원치료 중인 조현병환자에서 다리불안증후군의 유병률 및 임상적 특성

Hyeung-Geun Choi, MD, Bo-Hyun Yoon, MD, PhD, Young-Hwa Sea, MD, Soo-Hee Park, MD and Ahn Bae, MD, PhD

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and clinical characteristics of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in schizophrenic inpatients.
Methods: A total of 100 stabilized schizophrenic inpatients were examined. The presence of RLS and its severity were assessed using the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (IRLSSG) diagnostic criteria and IRLSSG rating scale, respectively. Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI), Spielberg’s State Anxiety Inventory (STAI-X-1), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Korean version of Drug Attitude Inventory (KDAI-10), Korean version of Subjective Well-Beings under Neuroleptic Treatment Scale-Short Form (KvSWN-K) and Barnes Akathisia Rating Scale (BARS).
Results: Of the 100 schizophrenic inpatients, 25 (25.0%) were found to have RLS and 54 (54.0%) met at least one of the RLS diagnostic criteria. Sociodemographic data such as sex, age, economic state, and marital status were not differed between RLS-group and non RLS-group except educational level (p＜0.01). Age of onset, number of admission, total duration of treatment, use of current atypical antipsychotics, numbers of current antipsychotic medication and CPZ-equivalent dose of current antipsychotics were not differed between RLS group and non-RLS group. Although the total scores of KDAI-10 were not differed between 2 groups, the total scores of BDI, STAI-X-1, PSQI, KvSWN-K and BARS were significantly differed between RLS group and non-RLS group (p＜0.05).
Conclusion: The prevalence of RLS in our study was similar to previous Korean prevalence study. Outcome of psychiatric scales show that schizophrenic inpatients with RLS have more depressive symptoms, higher state anxiety, poorer subjective sleep quality, lower subjective estimates for well-being under neuroleptic treatment and more have akathisia than those with non-RLS schizophrenic patients. Although our result has limitations, we may conclude that RLS is relatively common in schizophrenic patients and associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms. So, we should be cautious about the RLS when the schizophrenic patients complain poor sleep quality during hospitalized treatment period. (Korean J Schizophr Res 2011;14:112-119)

Key Words: Restless legs syndrome , Schizophrenic inpatients , Prevalence , Clinical characteristics.